


Anansi's Avatar

by _crime lord_ (goddamnit_cherik)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: After endgame, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, BAMF Stephen Strange, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Peter Parker, I'm Bad At Summaries, Magic, Magic-Users, Magical Accidents, Peter Parker Angst, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Pre-Spiderman Far From Home, Precious Peter Parker, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship, Stephen Strange Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Stephen is awkward around kids, like really awkward, stephen is a sassy teacher, the AU where peter is trained by stephen at kamar taj, the plot is really loose sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-19 11:45:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20209204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddamnit_cherik/pseuds/_crime%20lord_
Summary: Stephen Strange felt bad for poor Peter Parker. First he lost his parents, then his Uncle Ben, and finally his surrogate father and mentor Tony Stark. With all this pain, the kid was way past due for a break down. Luckily, Stephen was there to help; unluckily...his breakdown was so intense that it knocks his very soul from his body. Now Peter is freaking out and Stephen is the only one who can help him harness his newfound inner power.





	1. Chapter 1

Peter had to fight to stay upright. 

Tony was dead. Gone. His old arc reactor floated away, with flowers wreathed around it. All the Avengers had come to his funeral, and even some others Peter didn't recognize. But it didn't matter who had come; all their faces were scratched out and blurry in Peter's mind. The black suits and dresses all coalesced into a shapeless mass. Peter drowned in the raw emotion coursing through him; he couldn't even feel May's hand on his shoulder. He would never see Tony at another fundraising event. Never again would his mentor fly over New York, waving at some random fans. Peter wouldn't hear his voice over the phone as he told him to quit harassing Happy with all the pointless texts. He could barely breathe as he thought of all the things Tony would never do now...that he was _gone. _

The crowd had begun to disperse. Peter was now on autopilot. His legs dragged his body along to a secluded corner. He bumped against a wall and let gravity tug him down to the cold ground. Still on autopilot, his head drooped into the space between his legs and chest. Only now that he was alone could he let his tears fall. Peter silently heaved in grief. A headache roared and pounded at him for keeping his cries concealed. Soon, Peter attempted to distract himself by thinking about something, anything else. He _didn't _want to think about how the strongest man he knew _slipped away right in front of him. _Even Tony's genius couldn't shield him from his own inevitable demise; Peter could _maybe _come to terms with that. But Peter could have prevented his Uncle Ben's death. He _could have. _Why _didn't he? _Why couldn't he have been the hero Ben always knew he would be? _Every parental figure in his life was being taken away. _

_Please, don't take Aunt May. _

Peter's anguish morphed into anxiety. Thoughts raced impossibly fast through his mind. He pictured being dropped by the Vulture. _Crack, Crack, Crack, go his bones. _An image of those _Chitauri _rushing him violently replaced the sound of his own body breaking. The _claws. Tearing _him hungrily. Their gasping _mouths. _Thanos bearing down on him with an impossibly large sword. The quick flash of Captain Marvel coming to his rescue was heavenly, but it was swiftly consumed by an endless flood of other hellish nightmares. 

The torrent of memories crashed over Peter and he couldn't focus. If he had been aware of himself, he would have noticed his rapid breathing, drenched hands, and ultra-rapid heart rate. No longer were his memories discernible as recognizable and different events. They all swirled together into one singular horrifying moment. Peter's spider-sense was no longer a dull tingle; it screamed and thrashed at some unseen encroaching danger. Hopelessness, grief, terror, and anxiety all melded into one piercing, almost inhuman screech. 

And suddenly Peter was no longer aware of slumping on the ground. He was in the air, floating above his body. He pulled his arms up instinctively and saw that they were _see-through. What the fuc-_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stephen Strange had barely known Tony Stark, but for the brief time that they had been together Stephen found him to be extremely irritating. Tony was like Stephen when he had been a surgeon; brash, relentlessly sarcastic, and unabashedly intelligent. But, seeing all those possible final battles with the Time Stone quickly changed Stephen's perspective on Stark. In almost every single possibility Tony Stark was there to sacrifice some part of himself to win the day. Stephen was relatively new to the "super-hero" business but even he was struck by Tony's heartfelt and completely genuine heroics in each timeline. Of course, that meant he had to be the one to die in the end. 

Of all the people gathered at the funeral, Stephen always assumed the Original Avengers would be the most saddened by Tony's passing. So he was quite surprised to feel the most intense emotion emanating off of Peter Parker. Stephen knew that the kid had been attached to Stark when he first met the two of them; he just didn't quite anticipate the extent of Peter's heartbreak. His thoughts were open to Stephen like a book, so he took a quick peek. He was stunned and almost knocked off his feet by the amount of dismal feelings and trauma he was experiencing. How could one teenager be feeling _that many_ things at once without exploding? Must be one of his superpowers. 

That torrent of negative emotions was so severe that it drew Stephen's attention to the young Peter after the rest of the heroes dispersed. Stephen didn't want to appear rude or invasive, so he decided to watch Peter magically. Just to make sure he was okay. He cast a simple spell that allowed him to see Peter's aura through the walls of the house he was hiding behind. A few minutes went by with just the usual mourning color of deep blue surrounding the teen. But his aura gradually changed to a purple, and then an orange. It finally encircled him entirely in an impossibly fierce red. A red aura meant a couple things. Peter was either enormously wrathful or his spirit was about to _exit his body. _

Only a panic attack of monstrous proportions could dislodge a soul or astral form from a body. Peter needed his help _now. _

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_"Help me! Can anyone hear me?" _

Peter screamed but his voice had a reverb to it. No heads turned to acknowledge him; he was a _ghost. _

He was about to lapse back into his bottomless sorrow when someone came into view. Doctor Strange? _The Wizard!_ He would be able to hear him! 

_"Mr Doctor Strange? Can you see me?"_

Stephen turned to look at Peter's floating astral form with a worried stare. "Parker?" 

"Oh my god! Please help me! I don't know what happened!" Peter's voice wavered.

Stephen held up his hands. "Don't worry, and stay calm. I'll tell you how to return to your body." 

Peter let out a breathe he didn't know he was holding. "What do I do?" 

"Concentrate on your physical form. Imagine every detail of it in your mind. I'll cast a spell, but it'll only work if you're picturing your body. Got that?" He kept his voice soft but exacting. Peter nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. Stephen flourished his hands to produce a sparking orange rune. He poked around through the rune and found Peter's disconnected mind. He latched onto it and used Peter's flimsy connection to his body to guide him back. Within a few moments Peter's spirit was safely nestled in his body. 

"There you go kid." Stephen sighed, not sure what to do next. He was always a klutz when it came to dealing with any person under the legal drinking age. 

"Thanks Mr. Strange." He paused nervously. "What...exactly happened to me?" 

"You had a massive panic attack. That dislodged your astral form from your body." 

Maybe Stephen shouldn't have been so direct. Peter crossed his arms in an attempt to hug himself; a juvenile but comforting gesture. Clearly, he didn't quite know how to react to almost floating away into nothingness. 

"I've never used magic before, or even done something _remotely _magical. I shouldn't have been able to..." 

Peter was beginning to slip back into his anxiety. Stephen was struck by a strange feeling of sympathy for the kid, and that led him to put his hand on his shoulder. 

"Hey, it's going to be alright. If you want, I could help you. Help you understand what's happening with you." Stephen tried to catch Peter's wandering eyes. 

"Like...you could train me?" Peter finally looked up with something other than horror on his face. 

"Sure, whatever you want." Stephen didn't intend for the sarcasm to leak into his voice, but alas. However, Peter didn't seem to care. The promise of doing something other than mourning was already cheering him up.

"Awesome!" The smile he gave Stephen was bright enough to melt the rest of the polar ice-caps. 


	2. Chapter 2

The Himalayas were surprisingly cool. Pun intended. 

The mountains were sheer and inextricably high, causing Peter to stagger. _This beats the Washington Monument for sure._ But it was also very confusing to navigate, so thank goodness the Doc was with him. 

But while Peter was moseying along behind him, Stephen was thinking about what led him to accept Peter as his protege. It wasn't just the kid's accidental magical outburst, no-it was also his spirit. More specifically, Peter's aura and how unusual it was. A human's typical aura is just a sheath of light that surrounds them, indicating their mood and true self. But Peter's aura wasn't human shaped at all. His aura instead looked like a Spider's. Eight ethereal arms curled around Peter's normal two. Stephen had even made out three separate parts of the aura, like the three parts of an arachnid. Whatever was causing Peter to have a unique aura was also causing his dormant powers to suddenly awaken. Stephen had to get to the bottom of it; his lust for knowledge too strong to resist. So he talked to Peter's aunt-begrudgingly-and got her blessing. 

And so the unusual pair were trekking through the Himalayas to the secretive Kamar-Taj, where Stephen had first understood his own dormant magical abilities. Peter had asked rather nervously why they weren't just taking a portal. Stephen had responded with a remark on how Kamar-Taj was impossible to portal into with its many layers of protective warding and defensive magic. That was of course a lie. Stephen just wanted to test Parker's resolve. He hadn't let him down yet, surprisingly. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

After a couple or so more hours of silent wandering, the two finally reached their destination. The outside of the building seemed decrepit and not what Peter imagined the entrance to a magical wonderland would look like. But Doctor Strange knew what he was doing. Hopefully, at least. 

Muttering to himself, he pushed open the door and beckoned Peter to follow him. Nothing could have prepared him for how..._normal _the inside of Kamar-Taj was. It just looked like a stereotypical karate dojo from one of Peter's favorite cheesy Japanese movies. _This _was where he'd learn to be a badass wizard? 

"I know what you're thinking, because _I_ thought the same thing many years ago. But trust me...you'll come to see this place as more than you expected soon." Stephen cracked a knowing smirk. The Ancient One put _him_ through hell, so he might as well return the favor to his very own pupil. _I might just enjoy this after all. _

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

And Stephen did enjoy running Peter through a strict training regime. One hundred push-ups a day and carrying buckets of stone across his back. In addition, Peter had to build a wall with those stones, and every time he finished it he had to destroy it. Stephen could see the hope and innocence leak out of Peter's eyes every time he knocked that wall down. It was taking a toll on him. Although that was exactly what Stephen had wanted, it still hurt to see. 

Another day, another wall. Peter gave Stephen little glances filled with resentment as he passed with his buckets of stones. The resentment turned to weariness as Peter's strength began to give out. His arms wobbled as he lifted the materials in place. But as Stephen looked closer he realized it wasn't only Peter's arms that were wobbling; his legs were also weakening. It took all of Stephen's willpower to stay put and watch. But inevitably, the strain was too much for slim Peter. The brick he was sliding into place jiggled free of his slippery grasp and fell directly on his exposed foot. 

"Ow, Jesus Christ!" He instinctively grabbed his injured foot while twisting his head to glare at Stephen. "What the hell is this? I thought I came here to learn magic, not to lift weights! I can't do this Mr. Strange." The indignation in Peter's voice was eerily similar to Stephen. 

"Dr. Strange." That earned him another angry glare. "And yes, you can. You just aren't _perceiving _the task as easy. You think the stones are heavy, therefore they are." 

"_Believing _isn't going to get the job done though." Peter was practically pleading with Stephen to let him rest. 

"_Belief _is _all _that can get the job done." With that slightly arrogant remark, Stephen proceeded to pick up the entire wall Peter had erected with one hand. "See?" 

That earned him an incredulous gasp from his apprentice. "How'd you do that?" 

"I believed that the wall was as light as a feather. That's the first step to learning magic, Parker. Reality can be changed by any ol' smuck. You just have to see the world as it truly is. Malleable." 

Stephen gently put the wall back down and gestured to it. "Throw it. Your spider strength gives you an advantage, so I want you to toss it _all _the way over there." Stephen pointed to the distant, snow capped mountains. Peter was about to protest, but decided against it. If Stephen could do it with only belief...he could do it. With a crack of the knuckles, Peter approached the stone wall and closed his eyes. 

_You can do this. The wall isn't a wall, it's a pile of feathers. _

Grabbing at the foundation, Peter lifted. _Soft, fluffy feathers. _Suddenly he was standing up, feeling like he was holding nothing. Without opening his eyes, he tossed whatever was in his hands away from him. Peter opened his eyes as he dropped his arms to his sides. The wall was flying through the air towards the mountains in the distance. It silently dissipated into magical butterflies as it flew. 

"Holy shit, I did it!" Peter pumped his arms up in excitement. "I threw it!" 

Stephen smiled at him coyly. "Yes you did. I think you're ready to start learning some _real _sorcery." 

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

_Real sorcery _was certainly what Peter expected, and he was completely fine with it. 

First the Doc taught him how to use the Sling Ring. Wear the ring on your left hand and swing your right hand in a counterclockwise motion. The real struggle for Peter was getting the portal to appear. Orange sparks would suddenly appear and disappear just as quickly as they had come. No matter how hard he tried the sparks would never form a solid circle. Fortunately, Stephen was there to tell him that he wasn't picturing the place he wanted to go. He was just concentrating on the Ring with no clear objective in mind. The Ring wouldn't respond to unclear instructions. With this advice, Peter easily produced a working portal. His smile when he finally did it was incredible. 

Next was the Mirror Dimension. Stephen showed Peter how to access it-with a Sling Ring-and how to leave it. Once he understood how it worked and why it was _paramount _to always have your Sling Ring, they could begin using it to practice with more advanced spells. _Spit Fire, Summon Weapon, _and _Find Familiar _were some of Peter's favorite novice spells to cast. Stephen was beginning to regret teaching Peter _Find Familiar; _he was always playing with his new Spider pal rather than focusing on Stephen's lessons. 

But soon Peter didn't even need Stephen to teach him new spells. He was an avid reader and voraciously went through the library with a keen interest to learn all its secrets. At night peter would slip into his astral form and thumb through an old tome of Elemental Incantations while his body slept on. His reading never stopped, not even for Stephen's private lessons. It got to a point where he was consuming up to five books a day and five a night. It stirred something within Stephen, a kind of longing for the time where _he _would sneak into the library and read for hours. _Good times _those were.

Now, three months into his training, Peter was advancing incredibly. He could now cast difficult spells and banish otherworldly creatures back to whence they came. He could read, write, and speak two demonic languages and a human one: Nepali. Sigils and seals were a cake walk to remember, and Peter took special pride in his ability to conjure Eldritch Limbs. Stephen discouraged him from using that too often. But despite his misgivings about the dark Eldritch Evocations he sometimes catches Peter doing, Stephen is extremely proud of his apprentice's progress. Peter had such an aptitude for magic; he could even be Sorcerer Supreme one day if he really desired. 

But while Strange was distractedly gushing over Peter, the apprentice in question was growing restless. He had learned so much, but the magic was starting to become everyday and even mundane. He knew an entire library of spells now. The only spells he didn't know were the ones in the "Forbidden Area". Now _this _place intrigued Peter. it was full of uniquely decorated books that were supposedly too Dark or dangerous to read or practice from. These were the tomes that Peter had not laid eyes on yet, but that didn't deter him from wanting to read them. No, in fact never having read one stoked Peter's interest even further. But Wong the librarian was always there to block Peter's way. He constantly lectured Peter on how he should steer clear of the Forbidden Area. "_It's called the "Forbidden Area" for a reason. There are volumes in there so Black they could corrupt even the purest heart. Others could melt your face off just by reading them." _

The melting face comment was scary, but even that couldn't deter Peter from exploring the Prohibited Section of the library. He waited until Wong put in his headphones to listen to music to make his move. Slipping into his Astral Form, Peter glided through the walls of the library to select a random book off the walls. He chose a volume with an arachnid clasp and faded black cover. It had no title. Before Wong could detect his spirit behind him Peter slid back into his room and popped back into his body. He did it! He had a forbidden book in his hands. 

Wasting no time, Peter gingerly opened it. The first page was blank, but the next had the book's name printed on it. 

_"Spyder Deity Communication and Summoning". _


	3. Chapter 3

Peter took a deep breath and flipped the page. 

There was a chapter index. It extended for three pages even though the book didn't feel that thick in Peter's hands. The chapter titles varied between _"Arachne: Myth versus Reality" _and _"Channeling Evil Spyder Energy For Beginner Warlocks". _

These chapter titles sparked the rising curiosity inside of Peter. He began to eagerly devour every page of the old book, barely pausing to see if Wong had caught on to him or not. The book's contents were just too enticing. 

As he read on Peter lost any acknowledgment of the world around him, so focused was he on his Black Magick research. His living quarters faded into the background, nothing more than static. The world was dull now and all that was still saturated with color was the tome and all its contents. The rituals, hexes, and summoning circle instructions jumped off the page and grabbed at his eyes greedily, like they all wanted a turn with him. They all wanted to be cast and utilized by such a kindred soul. Oh yes, the pages of the book now seemed to be _whispering _to Peter, encouraging him to read just one other page, learn just one more curse. _"Cast me!" _they said. _"I will spin a web of deception to catch your bitterest enemies within." _ The voices murmured. _"Summon me! I will never let you lose anyone ever again! Your loved ones will all be safe in the Spyder's Web." _

These whispers were soothing to Peter. They latched onto him and touched just the right places. It was a massage for his brain; these _things _seemed to understand him. Not a single one taunted him or called him a coward for skimming over them. They simply continued pleasuring him with strokes to his ego and advice for the future. 

_"The Strands of your life are not yet spun. We can change them, shape them however you please." _

_"Forget about opening your third eye. Open all Eight of them!" _

_"Never again will you be confined to your human form. Please, let us be Cast upon you, for we will bestow you with the eight Glorious arms of **Djieien!" **_

_ _

Peter listened to all these pleas and so many others. He was Enthralled, captured completely by the enormity of the power that was now at his fingertips. Caught in the Web of temptation. 

He was commanded by the many whispering voices to begin his great spell. He was so entangled in the Trap, so devilishly concealed in its power. How could he resist the call?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Wong's Britney Spears song had barely reached its end when he recognized that familiar sensation on the back of his neck. Somebody was in their Astral Form, and in his library! It better not be that spider punk. Wong grumbled his way into Doctor Strange's office to report the incident with a huff. 

"I think your spider brat just stole a book from the library. I don't know for sure, but I think you should check up on him." 

Stephen looked up from his journal with surprise scribbled all over his face. "Yeah, I'll do that." 

_Goddammit, why didn't I pay closer attention to him. I knew that he was getting bored, I knew it! Should have kept my eye on him." _Stephen continued to beat himself up all the way to Peter's room. He was reckless, and that was a fatal error to make with a bored teenager like Peter. He'd correct his mistake and learn from this. _Hoggath, I hope he didn't get into the restricted section. _

To Stephen's dismay, the sight that greeted him as he entered Peter's quarters was much worse than he anticipated. Peter was sitting cross legged on his bed, arms in a position akin to traditional meditation. However, everywhere skin was showing there were runes and sigils scrawled all over him in black ink. Flowing from them was a writhing mass of Black Magick. It projected a force field that violently pushed back at Stephen when he made a move to wake his apprentice. This was so much worse than he thought. 

Stephen recognized most of the runes. They were all used in summoning rituals, but not just any ordinary summoning ritual. These runes were only drawn when summoning multiple devils into one vessel. That one vessel being _Peter._

_"Parker! _Snap out of it! That book is _corrupting you! _Fight it so I can get you out of there!" Stephen's voice was embarrassingly high and frantic with fear. 

Suddenly, in reaction to Stephen's words, Pete turned his head and opened his eyes. _All eight of them. _

"**We're**** sorry, Peter Parker isn't home right now. Please leave a message and he'll get back to you later. Or he won't."   
**

"Who are you? Give me your name and rank within the infernal legions!" Stephen knew how to proceed with an exorcism, but this case was different from a typical possession. Peter was being inhabited by multiple beings, all with presumably different power levels and places of origin. That meant no single exorcism would work on all of the spirits. 

**"Who are **_we? _ **Well, Sorcerer Supreme, that is a difficult question to answer directly. ****_We _****were many, but now we are **_**one,** _**just as intended. There is no need for multiple names anymore. We suppose an entirely new name is in order." **

So this was all _planned out?_ Now _that_ was truly disturbing. The demons all conspired to possess a singular host and combine their powers. With all that Black power concentrated there was almost nothing they couldn't do now if they set their mind to it. Perhaps the new entity could even defeat the Sorcerer Supreme. 

**"Yes, it would so be a ** **_treat _****to defeat the Sorcerer Supreme. Imagine the ** _**reputation** _**we would gain. The infernal legions and abyssal horrors would ** _**have** _**to acknowledge us then. No longer would we hide in the shadows, feared but never revered." **

During the new entity's musing Peter's body began to float up above his bed. Eight grotesque spider legs grew to hold him upright and steady. The extra limbs stretched and acclimated to their new environment. 

**"But we digress. We feel like a congratulations is in order, Stephen Strange. Your underling has been very well trained in the Mystic Arts." **

"Peter isn't an underling, for your information. He's my apprentice and I am very proud of his progress." Stephen had to keep it talking. 

**"Apprentice? Ah yes, we see now. You have "taken him under your wing." How nice. But, he has no need for you anymore." **The demons all quieted and turned to smile maliciously at Stephen. **"Of course, there is one more thing you could do for him."**

"Oh? That would be?" Stephen prepared a spell behind his back in anticipation. 

**"You could be our first _proper _battle!" **

Using one of its pointed limbs the Entity pinned Stephen against the wall. But before he could collide with it Stephen flung the prepared spell out of his hands and into the Entity's eight glowing eyes. This caused it to fly backwards with a wild, primeval roar. The myriad of human and inhuman voices grated on Stephen's mortal ears. But as it was temporarily blinded, Stephen muttered a spell under his breath. _"Et rubeum tenentem ex opinationibus." _Before the Entity could react, glowing red strings entangled it. The Strands wrapped around the legs and arms, limiting its mobility, and was making its way up the Entity's torso.

**"_Strange!_ Release us!" **

Stephen's binding spell held the Entity in place even through its rabid thrashing and squirming. 

"Let Peter Parker go and maybe I'll consider it." He crossed his arms and tapped a toe. _False bravado._ Tony would have been proud.

The Entity growled, and then quirked its head. Its eyes wandered the room before meeting with Stephen's again. **"You wish to talk to your fallen apprentice, Strange? So be it." **Acid was practically dripping from its words as it spoke, but it smirked nonetheless. 

A sudden change overtook the Entity's eyes. The overt menace and harsh demonic glow subsided and was replaced by a softer, gentler light. Stephen recognized the light as the color of Peter's aura.

_"Doctor Strange? Where am I? It's really dark..." _Peter's voice sounded hollow and dreadfully small compared to his now monstrous bodily form, but it was there. _He _was still _there._

"Uh, Peter, I need you to stay calm okay? Promise not to freak out when I tell you what's happening?" 

_"Um sure...I'm just really scared." _

"Okay well...you stole the wrong book, and that book may have...possessed you?" 

_"Holy shit, I'm possessed?? _ _Is that why I can't move?"_

Stephen cringed; he really shouldn't have been too blunt. "Yeah, but _stay calm. _I have a working theory on how to get you free, but I need you to fight it. There are too many entities inside of you and they can't all possibly have control at the same time. I need you to find the _one in charge _of this pony show. Kick it out of the driver's seat Peter. Tell me its _name. _Names are very important." 

Stephen's hands shook more than usual as he explained. The anxiety of the situation was getting to him, clearly. 

_"Yeah, I think I can do that..." _

"Yes, good! Of course I'll be working here on the outside. Don't forget that, alright Pete?" 

**"A-alright Mr. S-strange." **The gentle glow of Peter's aura was abruptly wiped away and replaced with the Entity's black hellfire and sneering grin. **"My my, your apprentice really is a fixer-upper. He could use a little more fight in his life don't you think? No more hiding and running, no more weakness in the face of strength. We promised him power and by _God _we'll give it to him." **

Now Stephen was really in for it. 

**Author's Note:**

> all comments and kudos are appreciated and loved!


End file.
